New African-Eurasian Waterbird Census Website Launched by Wetlands International

Bonn, 22 February 2012 - Wetlands International has launched a new website, which is dedicated to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Census. The page provides information about developments in the African-Eurasian Waterbird Census, on complementary waterbird monitoring schemes and relevant processes in the flyway. It also contains sections which offer contact details of national coordinators in the African-Eurasian flyway and a range of documents and manuals, which are freely available and should assist national coordinators in their work.

The African-Eurasian Waterbird Census contributes to the International Waterbird Census (IWC) in the African-Eurasian flyway. It resulted from the merger of the former African Waterbird Census and the regional IWC scheme for Europe, North Africa and West Asia in 2011.

The IWC scheme, which is coordinated by Wetlands International, is an annual census of waterbirds in more than 100 countries and takes place in mid-January each year. Close to 15,000 voluntary expert observers will be counting between 30 and 40 million waterbirds using a standardized method involving the collection, checking, and importing of national and regional waterbird census data. This makes it easy to compare the gained data of waterbirds from Africa, Asia and Europe.

The IWC is a valuable source of information, making it possible to monitor changes in waterbird numbers and distribution, to improve knowledge of little-known waterbird species and wetland sites, and to identify and monitor sites that qualify as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The census also provides information on the conservation status of waterbird species and helps to increase awareness of the importance of waterbirds and their wetland habitats at local, national and international level.

The data collected through the IWC are indispensable for Multilateral Environmental Agreements such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and AEWA; the IWC data is also the basis for the AEWA Conservation Status Report on Migratory Waterbirds (CSR).

For more information please visit: